Whistling spinning exercise toy

ABSTRACT

A design for a whistling spinning exercise toy is disclosed, based on the traditional “button-on-a-string” toy, that is compact, lightweight, portable, simple and easy to maintain, and makes a pleasant whistling sound.

This application is a follow-up to Provisional Application #61049225, filed Apr. 30, 2008.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The Whistling Spinning Exercise Toy is a variation of the traditional Button-On-A-String spinning exercise toy. A loop of string is placed through two holes in the button, near the center and concentric with the center. Each end of the loop is held in one hand, with the button approximately in the center of the loop. With the ends of the loop held spaced so that the ends of the loop are slightly closer than the length of the loop, with the button hanging lower than the ends, the button is swung in a circle causing the loop to become twisted. When the loop becomes twisted it gets shorter. When the ends of the twisted loop are pulled apart, the loop untwists as it becomes longer. This makes the button spin, and when the loop has become untwisted the inertia of the button keeps it spinning and it twists the loop in the opposite direction. If the ends of the loop are now brought closer together the loop will continue to twist in the opposite direction until the button stops spinning. If the motion of the ends of the loop is coordinated with the twisting and untwisting of the loop, moving apart when the loop is untwisting and moving towards each other when the loop is getting twisted, the oscillating motion of the button may be continued indefinitely, until the user becomes tired and needs to rest.

Buttons are ordinarily designed as an accessory for clothing, and not for use as a spinning exercise toy. Variations of this basic toy involve “buttons” that are specifically designed to be used as a spinning exercise toy. Prior variations are big, heavy and bulky requiring heavy expensive cord for the string loop, which is attached to the spinner in a complicated manner that makes it difficult or impossible to replace when worn out. Other prior variations produce a whistling sound with an air chamber with a narrow opening at the periphery of the spinner. This makes a loud shrill unpleasant shriek rather than a pleasant whistling sound.

The object of my invention is to make a whistling spinning exercise toy that is compact, lightweight and portable, capable of fitting in a shirt pocket, or a pocketbook, or a paper envelope, or a shopping bag, or a desk drawer, or a briefcase, or an attache case or a backpack, that uses cheap readily-available household string, whose string loop can be simply and easily replaced when the string gets worn out and frayed, and that makes a pleasant whistling sound.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

My invention consists of a thin flat stiff disc with a substantially thicker hub at the center. The disc has whistling holes near its outer periphery, and the hub has two small holes that go through everything near the center, for attaching the string loop.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the spinner. “c” is the disc. “d” is the female hub. “e” is the male hub. “f” is one of several whistling holes in the disc. “g” is one of two holes that go through everything for attaching the string loop. Section A-A is shown in FIG. 5, and section B-B is shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 2 is an elevation view of the spinner.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the invention being used. The string loop and the handles are shown in phantom lines as they are not part of the invention.

FIG. 4 is section B-B taken in FIG. 1. “k” is a square shaft with chamfered corners on part “e” that fits through the square hole “h” on part “c” shown in FIG. 11, and also fits through square hole “n” on part “d” shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10. “l” is a thin-walled portion on part “d”. “m” is a thin-walled portion on part “e”.

FIG. 5 is section A-A taken in FIG. 1. The portion inside the heavy black circle is shown enlarged in FIG. 6.

FIG. 6 is an enlargement of the portion of FIG. 5 inside the heavy circle. “i” is a cam inside hole “n” on part “d”. There are two cams “i” on opposite sides of hole “n”, shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10. “j” is a flexible pawl on part “e”. There are two pawls “j” on opposite sides of shaft “k”, shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8. “p” is a slanted surface on cam “i”. “q” is a slanted surface on pawl “j”.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the male hub, part “e”.

FIG. 8 is an elevation view of the male hub, part “e”. This part is symmetrical front to back and also left to right. The right half is shown as a section taken through the center of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the female hub, part “d”. “n” is a square hole that fits around shaft “k” on part “e”.

FIG. 10 is an elevation view of the female hub, part “d”. This part is symmetrical front to back and also left to right. The right half is shown as a section taken through the center of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of disc “c”. The preferred embodiment is three inches outside diameter and 0.020 inches thick. “h” is a square hole with stress relief cutouts at each corner. “h” is symmetrical about the center of the disc and has a surface-to-surface fit with shaft “k” on part “e”.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

My invention consists of three pieces that are assembled and rigidly connected to form a single rigid spinner. The three pieces are a disc and two hub pieces. The disc is sandwiched between the two hub pieces. There are many possible ways to rigidly connect the three pieces after they have been assembled. The method drawn and explained here is one possible embodiment of one possible method. After being assembled, the two hub pieces are squeezed together until they snap and remain permanently and rigidly connected to the disc. Other possible methods involve the use of nuts and bolts, or screws, or rivets, or glue, or soldering, or welding, or brazing, or any heat treatment combined with high pressure, or any combination of two or more methods mentioned or described.

The parts are assembled by first placing shaft “k” on part “e” into hole “h” on part “c” as far as it will go. Then slide part “d” onto shaft “k” until surface “p” on cam “i” on part “d” touches surface “q” on pawl “j” on part “e” (see FIG. 6). As the hubs are squeezed together both cams “i” on part “d” and pawls “j” on part “e” will deflect until they snap to the position shown in FIG. 6. Other parts of both hubs will also deflect, most notably the thin-walled portions “l” on part “d” and “m” on part “e”. The thickness of these parts can be specifically sized to control the residual forces in the hubs after snapping to the configuration of FIG. 6. 

1. I claim three pieces, a thin flat stiff round disc with at least two holes near its outer periphery, and two round hubs, assembled with the disc between the hubs and concentric with both hubs, and rigidly connected, with two small holes near the center equally spaced from the center that go straight through all three pieces, to form a whistling exercise spinner. 